- Bedford Hotel Opening: Set to open in early spring 2026 in Belfast’s Linen Quarter, this 82-bedroom hotel in a restored historic building will include a destination restaurant, private dining, and café bar, enhancing luxury accommodation options for visitors.
- Belfast Hotel Developments: Openings in 2026 will add around 800 rooms, including Aloft and Residence Inn (228 rooms), Adagio aparthotel (136 rooms), Yotel (165 rooms), Tempo by Hilton (144 rooms), and a Premier Inn at Belfast International Airport (80 rooms), improving hospitality and stay experiences in the county.
- Carnfunnock Country Park Redevelopment: This multi-million-pound project, due for completion by March 2026, includes a new energy-efficient visitor centre with a café and shop, an inclusive adventure play park, a bike park with pump track and jump trail, a maze viewing platform, modern amenities, and improved accessible paths and parking to enhance family-friendly experiences along the Causeway Coastal Route.
- Dunluce Lodge: This new five-star resort in Portrush, recognised in Ireland’s Blue Book for 2026, offers 35 luxury suites plus a private lodge with eight suites, fireside lounge, and private dining, providing upscale coastal stays near key attractions like the Giant’s Causeway.
- Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast: Hosting for the first time in Belfast from 2 to 9 August 2026, this world’s largest Irish music and culture festival features over 400 events including concerts, street performances, céilís, and competitions, celebrating the 75th anniversary of Comhaltas and boosting cultural immersion for visitors.
- Galgorm Resort Self-Catering Apartments: Adding of 32 new self-catering apartments at this Ballymena resort, lodged in early 2026, will expand accommodation choices for visitors seeking spa and golf-focused experiences.
- Giant Awakening ASMR Project: Launched in late 2025 but promoting 2026 visits, this digital audio experience captures soothing sounds from Antrim sites like the Giant’s Causeway and Glenariff Forest Park, enhancing virtual and on-site relaxation and self-discovery for tourists.
- Giant’s Causeway 40th Anniversary Celebrations: Marking the site’s World Heritage designation in 2026, special events will include enhanced geological tours, folklore storytelling sessions, and interactive experiences to deepen visitors’ appreciation of this natural wonder.
- Lyric Theatre 75th Anniversary: In Belfast, this milestone will feature a programme of special cultural performances and events throughout 2026, offering enriched theatrical experiences for arts enthusiasts.
- Portrush Coastal Zone Enhancements: Following the 2025 Open Championship, 2026 will see extended operating hours, special events like marine conservation talks and updated virtual reality experiences on coastal geology, plus community programmes such as beach clean-ups to enrich educational visitor interactions.
Antrim:
Introduction – 1837 – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Castles – Contact list – Dining – Equestrian –Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Instagrammable– Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies –Musicians – Name – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random facts – Restaurant Awards – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Writers
Festivals
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
